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Free the iPhone from AT&T

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the well-it-is-the-fourth-of-july dept.

Acererak was one of several readers who noted that DVD Jon has released information on unbricking an iPhone. You sacrifice all cel phone functionality of course, but you have an iPDA that will work on your WiFi. Currently the hack is windows only but it doesn't look very complicated.

7 of 314 comments (clear)

  1. Why "Of course"? by l-ascorbic · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why is it assumed that phone functionality must be sacrificed? Why can't another SIM be used?

    1. Re:Why "Of course"? by jonwil · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The iPhone almost certainly contains a network lock (where it will refuse to talk to any SIM card that isn't from AT&T)

      The interesting question would be if you could use any AT&T SIM card in the iPhone after activating it with this hack (or if not whether the hack could be changed so that becomes possible). If so, this allows you to completely avoid the "lock-in contract" by obtaining whatever the "I already have a suitable phone and I just want an AT&T SIM card with no lock in contract" plan is.

  2. voip by metroplex · · Score: 5, Interesting

    would a voip webapp be feasible? then the iphone would be pretty cool even whitout gsm functionality

    --
    "Words of wisdom: drop that zero and get with the hero" -- Vanilla Ice
  3. Re:Or... Not by Registered+Coward+v2 · · Score: 3, Interesting



    Cancel within 4 days and you get the activation fee refunded; and since you are within 30 days there is no early termination fee.

    Essentially you are buying a very expensive iPod/WiFi web browser.

    --
    I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
  4. The service providers are the problem. by MaWeiTao · · Score: 3, Interesting

    My hope is that the iPhone would bring into the limelight how restrictive all mobile phone service providers are. They do nothing but restrict progress and rip off the consumer. I think they're responsible for why phones in the US market lag behind the rest of the world in terms of technology. If US consumers had access to what's available elsewhere I think people would generally be less impressed by the iPhone.

    To me the activities the US carriers engage in is just as bad if not worse than DRM. It's a big problem and unfortunately I don't see many people calling attention to it.

  5. Re:Unlocking a Cell Phone is LEGAL by jack_csk · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Perhaps others have already told you - the Telecoms don't have to sim-lock the phones they sell to earn the profit. Instead, the Telecoms just have to bind the customer with a contract.

    In other words, the sim-lock defendings are nothing but BS from the Telecoms. They just don't want to admit that they are so greedy.

  6. Re:Its very hard to understand this by cuzco · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Visual voicemail is cool but, it hardly justifies such an odius 5 year AT&T lock-in. I'd would gladly give up visual voicemail for an iPhone that could be used with any provider. Think about that. Apple can't sell an iPhone that works with any other provider FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. That's an eternity in the tech industry and in 5 years, you better believe that all other major phone manufacturers will have easily surpassed the iPhone in terms of elegance and ease of use. Apple isn't going to sit on their thumbs for the next five years but they showed other phone manufacturers how to make a simple elegant device. They gave away the store with this AT&T deal.